Chapter 74: A Mysterious Warning Lucas POV

It was too peaceful in the woodland bordering Crescent Grove for my taste. As I walked back from the training field, my boots crunched on the icy ground. I had been having trouble concentrating, but the younger fighters had shown promise. I kept thinking about Darius's composed manner, which served as a disturbing warning that I was stepping on thin ice. I had the unshakeable impression that the Alpha saw more than he said, regardless of how amiable he looked.

"Caleb, hello."

The sound of the voice caused me to turn sharply. Gareth was lounging casually against a tree a few feet away. His arms were crossed, but his easy stance was belied by the intensity of his gaze.

"That's how you always ambush people?" I asked in a light-hearted way.

With a laugh, Gareth pushed off the tree. "Old habit. Comes in helpful here." His eyes narrowed slightly as he stepped closer. "You look tense."

I swept past him and said, "Long day." When my mind was already a jumbled mess, I had no time for small talk.

But I couldn't leave Gareth that easily. His tone was relaxed but purposeful as he remarked, "Funny thing about this pack. Everybody has secrets. Darius loves to think he is familiar with them all."

I clenched my palm into a ball and froze in mid-step. "What are you trying to say?"

Gareth stepped forward, his face unreadable. "Just a nice reminder: don't undervalue him. He doesn't take things easily. If Lia and you are hiding something..." With the weight of his words pressing down on me, he left the sentence hanging.

"What do you think we're hiding?" I asked in a tense voice.

Gareth grinned, but his grin was empty of amusement. "Because everyone here has something to hide. Caleb, that's just the nature of protection. Just take caution. Darius may look indifferent, but he is aware of everything."

My pulse accelerated as I gazed at him. "Why are you telling this to me?"

Something colder, harder, took the place of his smile. "Because I've witnessed what happens when someone tries to play him. You and Lia don't want to be on the wrong side of it, in my opinion."

Gareth turned and disappeared into the trees without saying another word, leaving me standing there with a storm building inside of me.

Back at the cottage, Anna—I told myself, Lia—sat by the fire with a mug of tea in her hands. When I walked in, she narrowed her eyes and glanced up.

Her tone was harsh as she stated, "You're late."

I shrugged off my jacket and hung it on the back of a chair, saying, "Training went long."

She simply stared into the fire without saying anything. Between us, the quiet was oppressive and thick.

At last, I was unable to handle it any longer. "What's wrong with you now?"

With a sneer, she put down her mug a bit harder than needed. "My issue? Lucas, you've been moping ever since we arrived. I know you, so don't tell me it's nothing. Something is bothering you."

I shot back, lifting my voice, "I'm just trying to keep us alive. You think that I can handle this easily? Looking over my shoulder all the time and trying to be someone I'm not?"

She rose and drew closer to me as her eyes sparkled. "Is it any easier for me, in your opinion? It is my responsibility to sit here and wonder if today will be the day that someone finds who we are and reports us in."

I started to comment, but the words became stuck in my throat. She was right. This was tough for both of us, not just for me.

I finally said, "I ran into Gareth," in a calmer tone.

Anna scowled. "And what did he say?"

"Nothing," I lied, removing my eyes from hers. "Just a little conversation."

She didn't believe it. Her eyes seemed to be looking right into my back. "Don't lie to me, Lucas."

My hands clenched at my sides as I paused. After a protracted silence, I admitted, "He warned me about Darius. Said that he watches everything. That we ought to practice caution."

Anna sank back into her chair and her face became white. "So, he has a suspicion?"

I ran a hand through my hair and answered, "Maybe. Or perhaps he's merely trying to trick me. I'm not sure."

Her fingers clenched around the chair's edge as she bit her lip. "Do you believe we ought to depart?"

"And where do you go?" I inquired, feeling my anger rising once more. "So far, this is the safest location we've found. Nothing will be settled by running."

Her voice trembled a little as she replied, "But staying might get us killed."

I let out a sigh and sank into the chair opposite her. "Anna, we have no other choice. Not at this time. We only need to be cool and wish for the best."

She only stared at the fire, her face worried, without responding.

I woke up later that night and stared at the ceiling. I kept thinking about Gareth's warning, each syllable acting as a reminder of how vulnerable we were.

The room was filled with Anna's gentle breathing, which gave a little respite from the otherwise deafening quiet. I glanced across at her, her face serene in sleep.

I loathed witnessing her in this state of fear and uncertainty. She had already experienced enough. However, I was unable to show her how much this was affecting me. For the sake of both of us, I had to be strong.

But the weight of Gareth's comments was like a large stone pressing down on me as I lay there.

Everything is visible to Darius.

It was only a question of time until our secrets were exposed if that were the case.

And I wasn't sure if we would withstand the impact when they did.